Beso Bistro And Wine Bar

Great place and ambiance! The seafood and the selection of wine was good. I would of given perfect 5 but the swarming flies on my food was a let down.

Literally had the worst experience here. Service was terrible it took me an 1:30 to get my food and the staff weren’t even apologetic. Instead of trying to make things right, and our experience more enjoyable, they only had excuses. They decided to comp our drinks only (1 ice tea and 1 coffee a total of 4 $). On top of that our food was mediocre at best. Overall extremely disappointed, 0 stars.

If I could give this place no stars I would! We have ate here at least 4 times BEFORE it got bought out my new owners. Today I took my husband his son and our baby for what was supposed to be a nice Father’s Day brunch. We were immediately told their system is down and not to worry as they can still process orders, serve and we would just need to pay cash. HUH wish all that was true! No one even took our drink order until 20 minutes after seating down. Next my Diet Coke came with no straw no lemon as requested and they completely forgot the baby’s orange juice. No problem as we chalked it uo to it being a busy day and their system crashing. The waiter then takes the orders which included onion rings for an app. 30 plus minutes goes by food arrives. Where the hell is the onion rings? Told they are coming. Asked for bread 5 TIMES no joke and never received. Asked another 2 TIMES about the onion rings… no one knows and never arrives!!! Are you kidding me? The worse is not even mentioned yet. The dumbass waiter had the nerve to bring two small pieces of bread over when our meals are eaten along with the bill. I say don’t even bother and he snaps back and says please have compassion we aren’t having a good day because of our issues! Are you kidding me? What about our Father’s Day being ruined? Then I look at the bill and we’ve been CHARGED for the onion rings we NEVER got! However what happened next was by far the worse part and utterly unbelievable: I walk up to the counter ask for the owner. A nice lady says I am and that’s my husband referring to the second waiter. I explain everything and she genuinely seems sympathetic and apologizes for everything. Then her husband/​inadequate waiter says my system crashed again so pay me $ 29 cash. I tell him I don’t have cash only what’s in my wallet $ 9 and he PROCEEDS TO TAKE PICTURES OF MY DEBIT CARD ON PERSONAL CELL PHONE to run it tomorrow!!! I yelled out what the hell are you doing and give me back my card at which time he refused and held it by his side. His wife yelled at him give her card back this is on us and he refused until I called him a thief and his wife again asked he return my card to me! Is this man for real??! He then says please promise me you won’t return here! Huh don’t worry I would rather eat a rat than deal with your stupid ass!!! On a positive note the mans wife also the owner was very nice and sympathetic and for that they get one star. If you are thinking of eating here please don’t. There are MUCH better and normal functioning restaurants around like Boca, Wildfox and Toast!

Good service and beautiful, calm — but busy — environment. We chose to sit inside, but the patio is beautiful! I had fish tacos and an ice-​cold Corona. Tacos were perfectly seasoned (snappy hot, not ghostly!) with a delicious cole slaw. I ate it ALL! My sister had the chicken Cobb salad and said it was really good, too. Wait staff was so nice and attentive and the owners were very concerned that we were comfortable, happy, and well taken care of.
I will go back again to see what else Michelle is cooking up.

Beso is truly a gem! Nestled in the beautiful Hamilton Field, this unassuming restaurant has impressed me every time in terms of service, food, and atmosphere. The interior is very well done, the patio is amazing on nice days and warm nights, the service is top notch and friendly, and the food is something else. The dishes span the globe in terms of cuisine style and it’s always new and different. The wings are some of the best I’ve ever had. Can’t recommend highly enough!

Love Beso Bistro for dinner. Their crab cakes, calamari, burgers, seafood brochette, fish tacos, wedge salad, steamed mussels and clams are all excellent. The filet mignon is a little pricey for what you get. Service is a little slow but the food is worth the wait, not to mention dessert. All the desserts are good except I don’t care for the strawberry almond pavlova, which is to big, crumbly and as hard as a rock. If you like a good champagne, try the Brut Rose Mas Fi Cava. It’s good and only $ 24/​bottle.

Great lunch today at Beso at Hamilton Field in Novato! First visit –always a great sign when the place is packed. Friendly service, happy atmosphere Plus an outdoor patio. Terrific menu with something for everyone from fresh to fried. Enjoyed the Fried oyster spinach salad with bacon! Don’t miss the tower of crispy onion rings and the mushroom soup was delish too. Can’t wait to go back and have wine at the bar or outdoor patio. Way to go Beso!

My wife and I went for an early dinner on Saturday evening. There were very few diners present when we arrived. We were served drinks, appetizers and salad. Our entrees never came, yet we saw several other diners arrive, be served and leave. After an hour and a half we asked to speak with the manager. The server and manager were not apologetic at all and we were told to be more patient. We paid for what we ate and sadly left. I hope others fare better than we did.

Hidden gem! Ate outside and felt like we were in Santa Barbara with the palm trees and white stucco buildings. Food was good, staff was nice and atmosphere was top notch. Will be going back! It’s next to the Marin Arts Building that had a nice exhibit that was free.

Small menu with good food on it!
Why they don’t get five stars? It’s a cozy place but very loud hardly to have conversations. But other then that I would recommend that place. But check the menu online before they are very seafood related
As desert you should have the pavlova!

My boyfriend and I love coming here for brunch. The brunch menu has a lot of options from seafood filled omelets to chicken and waffles to banana beignets. The mimosas are so yummy, too!
For dinner, my family brings all of our guests here. There is a great variety of dinner options, and you can’t go wrong!

Our first time at Beso Bistro and Wine Bar, and what an enjoyable experience! In honesty, my wife and I had planned on going to another nearby restaurant (just a random pick, based on location and Unilocal ratings), whose name I won’t mention (*cough cough Toast cough*). Anyway, after receiving some pretty poor and indifferent attitude on the part of the host that answered the phone, we decided to go elsewhere. Beso was just as close to the theater production we were going to see after our meal, so off we went.
We walked into the smallish but cozy and comfortable dining room and were warmly greeted by a waitstaff. There were a few open tables, and he asked us to choose whichever available table we’d prefer. Then, he seated us, told us about their specials that evening, and asked if we’d like some beverages to start the evening with.
Our waiter was attentive, friendly, and helpful throughout our evening there. There was a small bit of a wait for our main entrees, but nothing unreasonable at all… and, man, they were sooo worth every bit of that wait! My wife had a cup of their delicious clam chowder and their Beso Bouillabaisse. I had their Seafood Brochettes. They were scrumptious! My grilled salmon, scallops, and big prawns were perfectly prepared, and were succulent, tender, and seasoned just enough to bring out their naturally delicious flavors. I even enjoyed eating the wonderfully sweet red bell peppers, purple onions, and mushrooms. And my wife, who usually isn’t that expressive about her meals, was in this case. She commented on how good everything was with her bouillabaisse, and regretted that we didn’t live closer so that we could easily come back to Beso more often.
For dessert, we shared their Trio of Crème Brulee. All I can say is OMG! Each spoonful was heavenly… it was probably wise that we shared one order. Lol
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. And, I would happily recommend Beso Bistro and Wine Bar to anyone looking for an excellent and reasonably priced restaurant in Northern Marin. Thanks, Beso!

Actually a six star find when in Novato.
I do not like pretentious restaurants nor restauranteurs — Beso approaches perfection by offering great flavors, served with happiness, in a fun environment, reasonable prices, did I mention fun?
The owner’s smile alone would make a mediocre lunch into a rare find — but the food accomplished all that and much more.
Caring for customers goes beyond menu items, it includes understanding the needs of some folks. Offering gluten-​free bread is a good example. Offering one that actually tastes great is extremely rare!
Caring for customers’ pets competes the picture and I will bring Diesel Dawg with me to dinner. He will enjoy the lovable Jessie Dawg who actually runs the restaurant. Don’t tell Michelle or Daniel…
I did not look at their wine list until this morning from their website. It looks broad in appeal and moderately priced. Unlike so many places that offer only brands you know at horrid markups, their list looks well thought out — somewhere to find a new favorite! And their «House White» is excellent with sandwiches etc.
We went on a Thursday lunchtime (1:00) and found it busy but very manageable. Great service is when you feel like their only customer, prompt efficient attention and dietary requests met perfectly.
I’ll shut up now. They have raised the bar above the heads of other similar places but their prices are not so lofty. Don’t ask questions, just give them a try.

There were 8 in our dinner party. We’d heard a favorable review from friends who went for lunch. We were warmly greeted, and service was attentive. Good wine list.
Everyone loved every dish they had:
Started with Oysters on half shell, and steamed PEI mussels. I tried the mussels; we all agreed they were superbly done. Many chefs make the broth too salty, but this was perfectly balanced.
Fried oyster spinach salad: really a large, substantial salad. The couple sharing loved it; the wife said she normally hates fried oysters.
Entrees: The fish tacos are a winner — 2 people said these were the BEST they’d ever had! (Note: this is for small appetites.) Beso Bouillabaisse, special Halibut on bed of risotto & sauteed greens — all got high marks. My hubby finished off his Fettuccine Jambalaya — he loved it, but I still prefer the traditional with rice. It had too much sauce for my taste (this is so subjective, as it’d be perfect for others), but had great spicy flavor.
Desserts: most are made in house, I think. Trio of Crème Brulee — what’s not to like? Chocolate Ganache layer cake — lovely, dark, and sinfully scrumptious; definitely big enough to share. Strawberry Pavlova (almond meringue, whipped cream & berries) — also big enough to share; very light meringue.
We all agreed that we would definitely come back!

Came for brunch one weekend. Looks small from the outside, but very nice one the inside. Spacious with plenty of room between the tables. A nice deck outside for seating; should be nice during the summer when it’s warm.
My friend and I shared the chicken and waffle (crispy and delicious!), the florentine benedict (fresh and not too rich) and the beignets (light and fluffy on the inside, good with the banana and chocolate). We enjoyed ourselves. We will have to try dinner sometime.

Menu could have the history of the restaurant.
Brunch can be a hit. I say «can be» because service is off. They need more servers when they get busy. Mention this as the food can be cold by the time you get it. The chicken and waffles are hit or miss. The chicken we had last weekend was so tough and overloaded with spice. Not in a good way. The fish and chips are good. The jambalaya is good too. The salads are a hit.
Lunch can be crowded with folks from the businesses at the hangars. The wait time is hurry up and order, or too relaxed.
Dinner is fun and the food great. Service is really good. Natalie is great. Very attentive and takes time with each customer. Wess usually forgets the specials and as a server he has his favorites. Weekends can be crowded. Weekdays too before 7:30. The tables for two can be tight.
Good to have in the neighborhood. Would be nice if they’d take the advice in the reviews. Wish the owner/​chef would come out from behind the counter and meet her guests. At least thank them for coming in and supporting the business. Hope Beso sticks around.
Curious … What does Beso mean?

I was greeted and provided excellent service from both the manager Daniel and bartender Wess. I was given a tip that bottles of wine were a special on Tuesdays, half off, so I picked myself one I could enjoy a glass of for lunch and tuck the rest away for a refreshment at dinner or at my hotel while on my road trip.
I chose the half sandwich and chowder lunch special. The chowder was thick and well seasoned though I did encounter a little grit. (After making my own scallop and clam dishes, I know it can be difficult to prevent that, so it didn’t ruin the dish or the experience.) My BLT was so good, I was tempted to ask for the other half! Fresh tomato, perfectly cooked bacon, it’s amazing how a sandwich so simple can taste so good.
My only detraction was that someone in the restaurant was wearing heavy cologne which would occasionally drift in and interfere with my wine and meal. Not sure if it was a member of the staff or another patron, but it was distracting.
Overall a great find in a quaint setting right off the highway.

Jesse, Beso’s dog, welcomes you! And by welcome, I mean lays in the entrance and let’s you step over him. This IS his house so I stopped to give him some love, obvi! Something about having a pet allow you to enter their home, when it’s really a business, and glad that you are there makes my heart melt. So I immediately loved this place.
Thanks to Unilocal,found this gem as we were driving thru and it delivered. We scored a table out on the porch on a lovely evening. Our server was very nice and attentive.
Kicked back with a nice Golden State Cider. So refreshing and I adore their branding.
I went for the fish special and it was paired with «Crème Fraiche smashed potatoes, sautéed
spinach in a Citrus Beurre Blanc. All of the flavors blended together so well. It was filling, delicious and savory. I enjoyed everything about it that I almost ordered a second plate to go.
Really loved the ambiance and what this spot had to offer. Thanks to Unilocal for helping me find it on my journey and thank you Beso for being a lovely restaurant.

I had the baked salmon, mashed potatoes, and (what I think was) steamed spinach. I ordered the kids pizza. They enjoyed their pizza, and it came out right around the time my food came out. The kids and I all shared and enjoyed my salmon. The mashed potatoes were creamy, and the spinach was alright, nothing amazing. There was a lot of food on a smallish plate. Maybe that was for effect, set up that way on purpose.
The place can be confusing, given that you can’t quite tell which is the «official» entrance. They didn’t really acknowledge me at first, and I wondered if it was because I wasn’t «snooty» looking enough — I’d had the idea that this was that kind of place. It was small, but looks very upscale when you walk in. We came right after they opened for dinner, so I was hoping to get faster, better service. Not really.
I may go back, just for the food alone, but I’ll continue to expect upturned noses from some of the waitstaff.